SQUIB!: please read - a public service announcement

[USAF385]

I contemplated placing this in the ammo section, but I decided there might be more traffic in the lounge. I figured it's a good lesson for people to be reminded of so hopefully more will see it here.

I just wanted to share my experience with my first ever squib round.

Not too long ago, I received a box of 9mm reloads for my birthday. Yep. Somebody else's reloads.

They've sat on my shelf since then because I was a little uneasy about shooting them. Today, I decided to throw caution to the wind and give them a go.

Well, about 70 rounds into shooting it happened.

I was letting my M&P 9mm FS stretch it's legs. I was shooting the magazine I was on one round at a time but at a pretty good rate of speed. Normally I will throw some double or triple taps in there and try to fire at slightly more rapid paces, but being that I was using reloads, I was being cautious.

I was shooting my 10 inch steel plate at 15 yards so I was hearing a constant song of "bang" "ding" "bang" "ding". Most of the way through the magazine I went "bang" but heard no "ding".

I immediately stopped because at that distance I was shooting 100% and noticed I missed and didn't know where the round went. Interestingly, it wasn't the sound of the bang or less recoil that caught my attention. It was just the lack of hearing the steel plate. Also, I had a tarp down to catch the spent brass. I had been hearing the brass land as well and didn't notice that round land.

I looked down at my gun which was slightly out of battery. I dropped the magazine and retracted the slide, locking it open. Glancing down at the barrel, I noticed it looked off.... it seemed like not as much light was coming through the barrel as there should have been. I pulled out my maglite, pointed it down the barrel, and sure enough... no light.

So I packed everything up and headed down to my basement where I disassembled my M&P. The round barely made it into the barrel, and it took just one gentle tap to dislodge the bullet. A thorough visual and tactile inspection led me to believe the barrel was in good condition. I checked the gun over thoroughly and reassembled it. I then loaded my magazines up with a box of factory FMJ and went back outside.

The 50 rounds went through flawlessly and I'm still perfectly on target.

I am glad I caught it on the first round. If I had shot another round who knows what would have happened. A "tap rack bang" in this situation would have been a huge mistake. Unfortunately, those without much firearm training who perhaps have gotten most of their information online might have tried to fire another round thinking it was just an extraction issue or something. I have watched some guys shoot online, and it seems like every time there's a malfunction, they go right to "tap rack bang". I'm just grateful I caught on that that round just wasn't right.

Anyway, I just wanted to put that out there. Always be safe and make sure you realize what your guns malfunction is.

Also, don't fully trust someone else's reloads. I knew better, that's why they sat on my shelf for a while. I trusted the guy enough and know he has been reloading for quite some time.... But I was wrong and could have really screwed up my M&P.... or my face. I had on shooting glasses, and this event reenforced their importance to me.

Ok! Thanks for reading. Be safe!

 

[m1gunner]

Looks like another round may have chambered had you tried it.

Good awareness on your part

 

[Jessie]

A friend had one in his "new"
S&W 10. It went "pop" and he cocked it ready to fire another. I told him to stop and check it. Sure enough, bullet in the barrel.
Trust your instincts when shooting. If it doesn't sound or feel right, stop and check things out.
Like you said, current training is slap, rack and shoot.
That's a dangerous habit if you don't analyze things first.

 

[jlrhiner]

Glad your OK. I actually saw a split barrel with 4 bullets in it. I believe it was a Ruger Blackhawk.

 

[da gimp]

Had it happen back in 1986 or o, my wife uncles business was failing, with 4 small kids to feed & underfoot distracting him, we helped them when we could, in return he reloaded some 20ga ammo for me to use bird hunting. He was so distracted that about 5 rounds had zero powder.

on the first covey rise, I pulled & dropped 1, swung to a second, it went pomp instead of bang, but Id already jacked that lil Ithaca 37 20 back & swung on the 3rd, knowing I was dead on the 2nd..... when I stopped, realizing the sound wasn't right & no recoil........ dismantling the barrel is easy on those & yup the wad was in the barrel........ I poked it out with a horse weed stalk.. got the dog back to the truck, kenneled him, & found the rest of the defective ammo....... I dismounted it all.....

Never reload when you are even slightly distracted.......... & now there is a dern short list of those , whose reloads I'll shoot.

Glad that each shooter & I all came out unscathed......... His Hand was on our shoulders.

 

[Jessie]

Shooting others reloads is a leap of faith. I don't do it anymore.

 

[Nightowl]

I have had it happen with factory ammo, but that was a long time ago. I think factory ammo has much more, better QC than was possible in the era before computers and automatic powder checking. Although, I have a .38 Special cartridge from a major maker that has a bullet loaded backwards!
I used to have it happen with my own reloads when I first started. I learned to do a better job!

 

[scooter123]

I've had two and they weren't reloads, they are 45 ACP Remington UMC. BTW, both ere from the same 250 pak. Fortunately they did clear the barrel but one only made it 30 feet downrange where I saw the bullet spinning on the range floor. Don't know where the other went. In both cases the casing did not eject from the chamber and my 1911 felt like I was shooting a 22 Short. Because of that experience I now make sure to take my Streamlight Stylus Pro to the range with me. Because I can put the light into the ejection port and Point the barrel at the bench to see if the barrel is clear. Doing that is so much simpler than field stripping the weapon at the firing line, something a lot of RO's really do not like to see someone doing.

 

[ROK]

I posted this yesterday elsewhere->

I had a squib .357 load today, my first.

Load was 17.5 grains of H110, Starline .357 brass, Extreme 125 grain FP and a Winchester small pistol Magnum primer.
I did not notice any difference in sound, but no recoil.
The gun was frozen. Cylinder would not rotate, trigger was fixed. I didn't know what was happening.
Was able to get the cylinder open finally, after seeing no gap between the forcing cone and the cylinder. Got the cylinder released, and tapped it open..I thought the ejector rod had become loose or unscrewed...

Bullet was just past the cylinder and stuck in the forcing cone.
Shell casing had a glob of partially burned, plasticized powder. Looked like foam from a cheap cushion.
The primer looked odd, almost like a light strike.

Too much happening here that I don't understand.
The unburned powder tells of incomplete combustion. Bad primer or bad crimp.
I lean to not enough crimp. Operator error rather than a bad component.
Came home and read of other crimp-light charge H110 issues. From what I read, H110 is best at or very near max levels, not the lower end of it's thin range where I had loaded it.

I used a light crimp on this load. Much lighter than I usually do. Plated bullets and all.

----------------------

Update->
I found what I think caused the problem.
The strain screw on the mainspring had backed out almost 2 full turns. I removed the grips to clean, as I always do, and checked the screw.
That explains the possible light strike (odd looking primer strike), because IT WAS A LIGHT STRIKE. I was just lucky it didn't happen earlier.
Took the screw out and cleaned the screw and screw hole with brake cleaner. Dried and Blue lok-tite.

I think I got it.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

MORE PROBLEMS

Good catch for you-- see my post on BLOWN UP in the ammo forum. The gun is toast to say the least-- It pays to be alert at all times. Bare in mind, my post is on NEW quality ammo--- a double charge at least--

 

[Grayfox]

I was using my 586 in an IDPA match shooting my standard .38 Special load I've been using for years. The buzzer sounded and I was off and running. I think it was the 4th round and just about the time my brain faintly registered that something wasn't right, the SO yelled CEASE FIRE! He actually caught it before I did. I glad he did because I was in full go mode and likely would have pulled the trigger again without fully recognizing the squib.
The bullet lodged just past the forcing cone. When I opened the cylinder powder spilled eveywhere. So it wasn't that I missed charging that round. Never did figure out exactly what happened.
I knocked the bullet out with a cleaning rod, brushed away the unburned powder and went on to finish the match without any more problems. No problems shooting up the rest of that batch of ammo either.

 

[Edmo]

I've had this happen twice with my reloads.

Once when I lived in warm sunny Florida while shooting my Colt 1911. Bang, bang, click... I opened it up to find an empty case, powder, and a bullet in the barrel just far enough to allow another round to chamber.

The second time was at an outdoor range when I lived in Alaska. It was -10 degrees and my 686 did the same thing with full power loads. The bullet was in the barrel just past the forcing cone.

Both times it appeared that the primer had enough to push the bullet into the barrel, but not ignite the powder... Strange to say the least.

The bottom line, during training if it goes click when it should have gone bang... STOP!! Check for a squib and barrel obstructions.

Edmo

 

[3dots]

Thank God you're OK. Good on you for checking things out. I NEVER shoot reloads other than my own. I was given some 45ACP by a friend years ago and I just gave them to an associate at the gun range counter. He said "Hell, I'll shoot 'em". Okie dokie then....

 

[M29since14]

Glad you caught that and that you're OK. Can't be too careful with a gun. I always tell people new to guns that whatever else it is, it's a high-pressure device, pure, plain, and simple. If something goes wrong, it can be catastrophic. Sometimes that thought helps them visualize the concept.

 

[wundudnee]

I was at my son's place shooting. He had just bought a full case of Wolf .45acp. He was having trouble with some misfires in his .45 Glock. I said let me try them in my pre 26, maybe they have hard primers. About the second cylinder full I had a squib and noticed the sound and recoil. The bullet was about one half way down the barrel. I got it out with a wooden dowel rod. I cringe thinking about what could have happened to that fine old revolver had I not noticed the squib and shot another behind it.

He still has over 900 of those cartridges left.

 

[m1gunner]

I was at my son's place shooting. He had just bought a full case of Wolf .45acp. He was having trouble with some misfires in his .45 Glock. I said let me try them in my pre 26, maybe they have hard primers. About the second cylinder full I had a squib and noticed the sound and recoil. The bullet was about one half way down the barrel. I got it out with a wooden dowel rod. I cringe thinking about what could have happened to that fine old revolver had I not noticed the squib and shot another behind it.

He still has over 900 of those cartridges left.

Wolf supposedly has good customer service. Have you contacted the US distributor to get the ammo replaced?

 

[jack the toad]

Glad you caught it.
The few squibs I've encountered were either commercial reloads (reman) or individuals (one was mine). The only factory new squib was Remington 9mm quite some time ago, so it does happen.

 

[indie_rocker]

I've had one 38 special squib of my own handload. It popped, had just a bit of recoil and I knew exactly what happened. I'm new to handloading, only been at it a little over a year, but between this forum, a couple others and manuals, I know if it doesn't sound or feel right to STOP!

After posting a few pictures and some forum discussion, the error was tracked down to me tumbling a second time after depriming/sizing. A piece of walnut media must have lodged in the flash hole, most of the powder was unburned and the plated bullet stuck about an inch into the barrel.

 

[kenv1950]

RELOAD

 

[TXSlade]

Here is an interesting question I never see posted. I trust my reloads. But I won't let anyone else shoot my reloads. Why are these guys even letting other people shoot the stuff they make? They don't have liability insurance. In civil cases you have to PROVE you're innocent, there is no presumption of innocence guaranteed like in criminal cases. I wouldn't let ANYONE shoot my reloads. The slightest issue, I would expect a lawsuit. Look at what happened to Freedom Arms, some dumb *** shoots his idiot buddy in the leg with a 454 Casull, but it's FA fault. Even though in all the paperwork it says don't do this, and he did it anyways, it is still their fault. I know we don't expect our "friends" to sue us, but guess what, none of us have as many friends as we think we do.